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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27559627">Thoughts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/grungelarents/pseuds/grungelarents'>grungelarents</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Direction (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Larry Stylinson Is Real, M/M, Non-Famous Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik &amp; Louis Tomlinson Friendship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:15:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27559627</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/grungelarents/pseuds/grungelarents</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis' has lived a loveless life for twenty four years, and frankly, he's been okay. But maybe a forgotten drunken one night stand, a few philosophy books, and a curly headed morning person is all it takes for him to believe that maybe love does exist</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bella Hadid/Kendall Jenner, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the first rays of sunlight fall on the body passed out on the mattress, Louis Tomlinson rolls over, hoping to find a more comfortable spot to sleep on. Instead, Louis’ body hits the cold floor and he groans in annoyance. He rubs his eyes and tries to pick himself up, wondering why his head feels like it’s being pounded by red hot hammers.</p>
<p>Then Louis remembers. Parts of it, at least. New Year’s Eve. Not wanting to go home to his family in Doncaster. Hosting a party with his roommate Zayn. Drinking.<br/>His hand flies up to the nightstand above him and he grabs the bottle on it, recoiling as the stench of liquor hits his nose. Louis hates liquor more than anything. He’s more of a vodka guy, really. It must be Zayn’s.</p>
<p>Louis tosses the bottle up onto his bed and pulls a pillow and his blanket down, hoping to get a few more minutes of sleep before he has to get up and clean his apartment. He pulls the blanket over him and closes his eyes. He’s always found it easy to sleep and in a few minutes he’s drifting off.</p>
<p>It’s so peaceful.</p>
<p>Until…</p>
<p>“Louis! Get the fuck up!” a feminine voice yells. The blanket is ripped off him in an instant and he’s being dragged off by his leg to the living room and deposited on the carpet in an undignified heap.</p>
<p>“What the hell?” Louis whispers, because anything more than that will aggravate his headache. “God, Kendall, isn’t it too early for this?”</p>
<p>“Louis!” Kendall yells. “Look at this place!”</p>
<p>Louis opens his eyes and blinks severally, trying to get used to the harsh lighting of the living room. When he can finally see properly, he bites his lip and shoots Kendall a sheepish grin.</p>
<p>“S’not that bad,” he mumbles, even though he knows it is. Red cups litter the entire room and the hideous pillows he tried to convince Zayn not to buy are strewn everywhere. A few lamps are broken and glass shards cover the floor. It smells strongly of alcohol and stale vomit.</p>
<p>“Not that bad? Not that-” Kendall stops to prevent herself from saying something she will most definitely regret. She stares at Louis in exasperation, wondering why they were even friends in the first place.</p>
<p>“We’re friends because you love me and I’m amazing as fuck,” Louis answers with a head toss, reading her thoughts.</p>
<p>Kendall shakes her head, trying and failing to conceal the small smile forming on her lips. “Where’s Zayn?”</p>
<p>Louis shrugs. “Probably still sleeping. You know how he is.”</p>
<p>“Could you please keep it down?” a shrill voice begs. “Zayn and I are trying to sleep.”</p>
<p>Louis and Kendall let out simultaneous groans as a figure wearing a black silk robe storms into the living room. Her blonde hair is pushed away from her face by a matching sleep mask and she shoots Louis and Kendall identical glares.</p>
<p>Louis hates hates hates Maya, and he can’t even complain because he was the one who set her up with Zayn. Having grown tired of his friend’s constant rants about being alone forever, he set him up on a blind date with Maya Jones, a girl from one of his classes. He hoped that Zayn would find her as annoying as he had and finally shut up. Unfortunately, they clicked, and Louis is now stuck with the result of his actions.</p>
<p>“What do you want Maya?” asks Kendall who shares his dislike of her.</p>
<p>“Zayn and I are trying to sleep and you’re both making so much noise, so kindly shut up.”</p>
<p>Louis rolls his eyes at her and is about to deliver one of the cutting retorts that he is famous for when a shirtless Zayn slinks into the living room. He lets out a huge yawn and grins at Louis.</p>
<p>“Morning Lou,” he greets and takes in the room, wrinkling his nose at the mess. “You let it get this bad?”</p>
<p>“That’s what I said!” Kendall exclaims and glares at Louis again.</p>
<p>He places his head in his hands. “Stop shouting,” he groans. “My head hurts.”</p>
<p>“Serves you right for drinking so much,” Maya snarls.</p>
<p>If Louis was feeling like his regular self, Maya’s words would have struck a nerve and taken the wind out of him because she knew and she didn’t care. But this was Hungover Louis, and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with any shit from anyone, least of all from Zayn’s obnoxious excuse for a girlfriend.</p>
<p>So he ignores her entirely and turns to Kendall instead. She’s fiddling with the sleeves of her black sweater, probably waiting for Louis to fly into a rage or burst into tears or one of the other things he does whenever someone mentions his drinking. And Louis almost feels bad.</p>
<p>Almost.</p>
<p>“What are you doing here?” he asks.</p>
<p>The worried look on her face immediately melts into exasperation. “Are you shitting me right now Lou? Have you forgotten? Bella’s coming back tonight.”</p>
<p>He nods, waiting for her to continue. When she doesn’t, he prompts her. “And…”</p>
<p>“Louis!” she shouts and he flinches. “We’re supposed to have dinner here. It was your idea!”</p>
<p>“It was?” Louis scratches his head, trying to remember when he agreed to have Kendall’s significantly-less-obnoxious-but-still-slightly-annoying girlfriend over for dinner. It doesn’t seem like something he would do.</p>
<p>“God, Lou, you’re impossible. Yes you said we could have dinner here by six and this place looks like shit. What’s she going to think?”</p>
<p>Frankly, Louis doesn’t give five fucks about what Bella thinks, but he can’t say that out loud. Kendall would skin him alive.</p>
<p>Instead, he shoots her an apologetic smile. “Sorry Kenny, I must have forgotten. We’ll get it cleaned up before she arrives, won’t we Zayn?”</p>
<p>“Uh yeah, whatever,” Zayn answers, even though Louis knows he won’t do a scrap of work and he’ll be forced to clean the whole apartment by himself. Lazy little shit.<br/>He goes back to his bedroom with Maya in tow, leaving Louis and Kendall standing in the middle of the room. Louis is about to throw Kendall out and go back to sleep when there is a knock at his door. He moves to answer it, wondering who the hell could be visiting at seven in the morning.</p>
<p>The door swings open to reveal a tall man with long curly locks standing there. It’s freezing in the hallway and the thin black shirt he’s wearing is doing nothing to protect him from the cold. His green eyes widen when he sees Louis, who is taken aback by how good-looking he his. Louis runs his hands through his hair and pulls the sleeve of his old ratty t-shirt over his shoulder in an attempt to look fairly presentable. He gives up, knowing that there is no way in hell he can possibly look good right now.</p>
<p>“Hi,” the man greets in a cheery voice and Louis groans inwardly. At that moment, he realizes that no matter how good looking the stranger might be, he could never ever go out with someone who sounded that happy and alive at seven in the fucking morning.</p>
<p>“Absolutely not,” Louis answers, and slams his door shut.</p>
<p>And that, he thinks, is that.</p>
<p>Except it isn’t.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>“Louis!” shouts Kendall in horror as soon as he’s slammed the door in the stranger’s face. Louis groans, outwardly this time, having forgotten that his best friend is some sort of politeness freak.</p><p>“No one should be that cheerful at seven in the morning,” he answers and flops down on the couch.</p><p>Kendall shakes her head and strides towards the door, flinging it open and sticking her head out. “Hey!” she yells. “Come on in, don’t mind him!”</p><p>Moments later the man is standing in the middle of his living room, looking round with wide eyes as if it’s the most interesting place he’s ever been in.</p><p>Louis folds his arms. “Can we help you?”</p><p>“He means ‘Welcome’,” Kendall says through gritted teeth.</p><p>“No I don’t.”</p><p>The man clears his throat and focuses his eyes on Kendall, apparently intimidated by the small ball of sarcasm and wit that is Louis.</p><p>Good, he thinks. He should be intimidated.</p><p>“I’m Harry Styles,” he says with another blinding smile and Louis has to fight the urge to slap the cheer of his face. It’s seven in the morning for fuck’s sake!</p><p>“Nice to meet you, I’m Kendall and this is Louis,” Kendall responds, gesturing towards the man beside her.</p><p>“Louis,” Harry whispers under his breath like it’s the most fascinating name he’s ever heard.</p><p>Louis rolls his eyes again. “Can we help you?”</p><p>“Oh yeah sorry. Uh I’m new, just moved in opposite you.”</p><p>“And how the hell is that my business?”</p><p>Harry’s face crumples with hurt and for once Louis feels bad, so he gives him an apologetic smile and extends his hand.</p><p>“Sorry about that, I’m just not really a morning person,” he admits sheepishly. “I’m Louis.”</p><p>Harry smirks. “I know. Kendall told me.”</p><p>Louis is about to make some sarcastic comment about how much of a smartass he is when Zayn stumbles out of his room for the second time that morning. He smiles at them as he walks towards the kitchen but stops short when he notices Harry.</p><p>“Who’s this?” he asks, directing his question at Louis.</p><p>“This is Harry,” Kendall responds quickly before Louis can make another sardonic comment. “He’s just moved into the apartment opposite yours.”</p><p>Zayn leans forward, peering at Harry like he’s some strange artifact in a museum. “Don’t I know you?”</p><p>Harry is taken aback, and his green eyes flit from Kendall to Louis in panic. “I-I don’t think so.”</p><p>“I’ve seen you somewhere before.”</p><p>“Well maybe I just have one of those familiar faces,” he laughs nervously.</p><p>Zayn narrows his eyes, shakes his head, then disappears into the kitchen, probably in search of his usual morning coffee. Kendall follows him in, not after mouthing <em>be nice </em>to Louis.</p><p>When is he ever not nice?</p><p>Louis gestures to the couch and he and Harry sit down, neither one knowing what to say. The air feels tense and awkward and Louis racks his brain for something to fill the silence.</p><p>“Sorry about the mess,” he finally says. “We had a party last night and we haven’t had the chance to clean up yet.”</p><p>At the mention of the party, Harry’s eyes cloud over with a mix of excitement and fear. “What was it like?” he asks cautiously. “The party, I mean.”</p><p>Louis shrugs. “I don’t know. Anytime I get really drunk I often forget what happened when I wake up. It’ll come back eventually.” It’s a speech he’s rehearsed and perfected over time but it doesn’t make him wince any less whenever he says it.</p><p>Harry nods, an impassive expression on his face. “That’s okay.”</p><p>“So what brings you here?”</p><p>Harry furrows his eyebrows. “To London or to this particular apartment?”</p><p>“Both.”</p><p>“Well this was the most affordable place I could find, with my budget,” he answers, choosing his words carefully. “As for London, I guess I just needed to escape.”</p><p>“Escape from what?”</p><p>Harry raises an eyebrow. “Are you always this inquisitive?” he asks, and Louis might think he is offended if not for the small smile on his lips.</p><p>He grins. “Some might say it’s my best quality.”</p><p>Harry chuckles. “I just needed to escape. Let’s leave it at that. What about you? Why are you here?”</p><p>So Louis tells him that he’s studying philosophy at a uni nearby and he’s in his last year. He tells him about how he met Kendall and Zayn on his first day and they’ve been inseparable ever since. He tells him about his job working at a bookshop down the road. Louis talks and talks and talks, throwing in a few sarcastic comments here and there, which is something he’s always been good at. Harry listens with rapt attention, interrupting only to ask a question or two and at the end of their conversation Louis decides that Harry is not as bad as he thought, except for the fact that he’s a morning person. Eww.</p><p>Kendall comes out of the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee and sees them deep in conversation. She smiles to herself, already being used to Louis’ swift changes in opinions of people. She knows, of course. She was at the party last night, and she could tell Louis a whole lot and clear up Zayn’s confusion. But she decides not to. Let Louis figure it out all by himself.</p><p>Louis sees her watching and waves her over.</p><p>“You’ve met Kendall already,” he says, smiling fondly at her. “Our resident neat freak.”</p><p>“I am not a neat freak,” she gasps, swatting Louis’ shoulder lightly.</p><p>He scoffs. “Please. She dragged me out of bed this morning to tell me that my place was a mess.”</p><p>“You were already out of bed dickhead.”</p><p>“Still though. You’re filthy, I don’t know how Zayn puts up with you.”</p><p>“I am not filthy,” he huffs and folds his arms.</p><p>“Yes you are.”</p><p>“No I’m not.”</p><p>“Yes you are.”</p><p>“Jesus Kenny, can you stop making me look bad in front of our guest?” Louis exclaims, gesturing wildly at Harry.</p><p>“Fifteen minutes ago you were telling him to get out.”</p><p>Louis rolls his eyes and leans in towards Harry. “Some people can’t forgive, can they?” he whispers loud enough for Kendall to hear.</p><p>Harry blushes while Kendall laughs. At that moment, though, Maya stomps out from Zayn’s bedroom again looking furious, and the happy mood vanishes instantly. Louis and Kendall throw their heads back and groan simultaneously. Harry stares at his neighbors in confusion.</p><p>“I said keep it down!” she hisses. “I am trying to get my beauty sleep!”</p><p>“You need a beauty hibernation, but go off sis,” Kendall responds then picks up her coffee and takes a long sip. Louis stares at her openmouthed, not used to her giving sarcastic comments. That was his thing.</p><p>Harry’s eyes dart between the three nervously, wondering if he should leave. As he makes up his mind to stand up, Louis places his hand on his thigh, keeping him firmly planted on the couch. He grabs a tacky throw pillow and hugs it to his chest, ignoring the sparks that shoot up his leg.</p><p>Maya notices him and her eyes run up and down his body, oogling him shamelessly. “Who’s this?” she drawls, running a hand though her hair to tame it.</p><p>Since no one moves to introduce him, Harry gives her an awkward wave and smiles. “I’m Harry, and you are?”</p><p>“In a relationship,” Louis answers for her through gritted teeth. He hates the thought of Zayn’s girlfriend flirting with another guy while he’s just a few feet away. He loves Zayn too much to let that happen, no matter how much he hates Maya.</p><p>Maya glares at him and he shoots her a fake smile. He stands up from the couch and ushers her back to Zayn’s room.</p><p>“Well, it was not nice seeing you again,” Louis says as he leads her away. “Enjoy your beauty sleep or whatever.”</p><p>When Maya’s gone he rejoins Kendall and Harry on the couch. “Sorry about that. She’s a bit…”</p><p>“Too much?” Harry suggests.</p><p>“Yeah,” Louis answers with a weak smile. “Sorry about that.”</p><p>Zayn comes out of the kitchen, two cups of coffee in hand. He gives one to Louis and sets his own down to cool before drinking. Louis takes a sip of the brown liquid and sighs in satisfaction. Milky, just how he likes it.</p><p>He notices Harry eyeing his cup and extends it to him. “Do you want a sip,” Louis asks.</p><p>Harry shrugs and takes the cup, wincing when he tastes the drink. “It’s too sweet,” he mutters, handing the cup back to Louis.</p><p>Louis blinks at him. It seems that they’ll disagree on coffee as well.</p><p>“And I imagine you like yours black? With no milk or sugar? Extra strong?” he snarks.</p><p>Harry nods and blushes. “Yes actually.”</p><p>Louis shakes his head. “Well that’s just awful.”</p><p>They all talk for a few more minutes, then Louis glances at the clock and realizes that he needs to start getting ready now if he wants to tidy the apartment before he leaves for work.</p><p>“I should go get ready for work,” he says, standing up from the couch. “Responsible adulthood and such.”</p><p>“Don’t forget cleaning this place as well,” Kendall adds.</p><p>“Yes, yes, whatever,” Louis grumbles. He glances at the coffee table and furrows his eyebrows in confusion when he spots the empty vase.</p><p>“Huh,” he mumbles to himself as he walks away. “I could swear there was a rose in there.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Louis somehow manages to shower, brush his teeth, take some aspirin for his headache and find clean clothes all in the space of fifteen minutes. He hops into the living room, trying to shove his feet into a pair of black Vans. Zayn is nowhere to be found, and Kendall and Harry are too deep in conversation to notice he’s arrived. He hears his name being mentioned and raises an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Talking about me?” he asks, and the pair jump when they notice him.</p>
<p>“Uhm, Kendall was just telling me some things about you,” Harry answers, clearly flustered.</p>
<p>Louis joins them on the couch and places a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “If you want to know anything, I would appreciate you coming straight to me. Kendall is known for ruining perfect reputations.”</p>
<p>She rolls her eyes while Harry laughs. “Your reputation was already imperfect to begin with.”</p>
<p>“How dare you?” Louis exclaims, placing a hand on his chest in mock hurt. “I thought we were friends.”</p>
<p>Instead of answering him, Kendall stands up and walks into the kitchen, coming out with a brush, some trash bags and a feather duster which she dumps on Louis’ lap.</p>
<p>“Start cleaning Tomlinson. Maybe this will teach you to live clean.”</p>
<p>Louis groans and picks up a trash bag, moving round the room to pick up the litter from the floor.</p>
<p>“You could help, you know,” he grumbles at Kendall. She looks up from her phone and grins at him.</p>
<p>“I would, but I don’t want to.”</p>
<p>“I could help,” Harry offers, raising his hand.</p>
<p>“Don’t you dare!” hisses Kendall at the same time Louis says “Angel.”</p>
<p>“I really don’t have much to do and I wouldn’t mind.”</p>
<p>“See Kenny? He doesn’t mind.”</p>
<p>“Harry don’t. He’s already lazy enough as it is.”</p>
<p>“I am not lazy,” Louis protests even though he knows that Kendall is right.</p>
<p>“Don’t help him.”</p>
<p>“But I’ll be late for work.”</p>
<p>“Mr. Browning won’t mind.”</p>
<p>“Please.”</p>
<p>“No Louis. Get Zayn to help you. He threw the party with you after all.”</p>
<p>“Are you kidding me? You know Zayn’s no help whatsoever when it comes to things like this.”</p>
<p>“I heard that!” Zayn screams from his bedroom but no one pays him the slightest attention.</p>
<p>“I said no and that’s final. I’m doing this for your own good Louis. I don’t want you to grow up lazy.”</p>
<p>Louis considers remarking that he has already grown up lazy but decides against it.</p>
<p>“I’ll be back later,” Kendall says, then stands up and heads for the door. “Louis please. You promised.”</p>
<p>Louis nods reluctantly because even though she gets on his nerves most of the time, he really does love Kendall. Plus, he always keeps his promises, even the ones he can’t remember making.</p>
<p>“And Harry, don’t let Louis brainwash you into helping him.</p>
<p>With those words she steps out, leaving behind an amused Harry and an extremely annoyed Louis. Harry picks up a magazine from the coffee table and begins to flip through it aimlessly while Louis puts the rest of the litter into the remaining garbage bags. He goes to bring out the vacuum cleaner from the storage room and when he returns, Harry has changed position and moved on to another magazine.</p>
<p>“You could help you know,” Louis grumbles and plugs the vacuum in.</p>
<p>Harry chuckles lightly. “Nope, Kendall said I shouldn’t.”</p>
<p>“You’re a grown man Harry. You can make your own decisions.”</p>
<p>He thinks for a moment, stroking an imaginary beard then grins at Louis. “I have decided that I do not want to help you.”</p>
<p>“Smartass,” Louis mumbles.</p>
<p>“I heard that.”</p>
<p>“I can be very persuasive.”</p>
<p>“Sure. I’m not helping you, and you can’t make me. Deal with it.”</p>
<p>Fifteen minutes later, Harry is scrubbing what he hopes is peanut butter off the wall while Louis loads the dishwasher. He comes back to the living room and grins when he sees Harry hard at work.</p>
<p>“You know-” he begins, but Harry isn’t having any of it.</p>
<p>“Shut up Lou, just shut up.”</p>
<p>He laughs to himself and goes back to work. Pretty soon, the apartment is looking spotless and Harry and Louis flop down on the couch, exhausted. Kendall walks in then and her jaw drops when she notices two tired men instead of one.</p>
<p>“Did you help him?” she asks, pointing an accusing finger at Harry.</p>
<p>“I swear Kendall I don’t even know what happened. One moment we were talking and the next I was vacuuming.”</p>
<p>They both turned to Louis, who had a smug grin on his face. “I’m persuasive,” he shrugs.</p>
<p>Kendall shakes her head and smiles unwittingly at her friend. “Little shit. Don’t you have a job to go to?”</p>
<p>“Right. I think I’ll change my shirt first, it’s damp.” He stands up from the couch and walks to his room. He goes over to his closet and hunts for something clean to wear. It’s been a while since he last did laundry. He wasn’t untidy, he just hadn’t found time.</p>
<p>Louis peels off his wet shirt and tosses it to the floor, exposing his inked body. He stares at the tattoos littering his skin and smiles. It’s a really nice collection and he’s proud of them.</p>
<p>“Which one’s your favourite?” comes a voice, startling him. He whirls round and sees Harry standing at his door, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. “Sorry,” he says. “I was just looking for the bathroom.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay. Come in.”</p>
<p>Harry walks over to him, careful not to trip on any of the bottles on the floor. Louis winces when he notices them. Harry probably thinks he’s some sort of alcoholic or something.</p>
<p>Not that he’s wrong.</p>
<p>“So your favourite?” Harry asks again, snapping Louis out of his train of thoughts.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah.” He points to a tattoo on his left arm and lifts it slightly so Harry can read.</p>
<p>“Bus 1,” he drawls in his slow deep voice. “Why that one?”</p>
<p>“It’s a matching tattoo with Zayn. It’s sort of an inside joke, really.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” he answers and says no more.</p>
<p>While Louis searches his closet for another shirt, Harry tries his hardest not to stare at his body. Louis is attractive, that’s something he can’t deny, but he doesn’t remember last night. At least, not yet. And Harry doesn’t really want to (potentially) ruin their newfound friendship by telling him. If friends is all he can be with Louis Tomlinson, then he’ll fucking take it.</p>
<p>Louis finally finds a clean t-shirt and the pair head back to the living room, Louis chatting animatedly about everything and nothing while Harry just listens, enjoying the sound of his voice and the way he moves his hands when he talks and just generally enjoying being around Louis.</p>
<p>Zayn is out when they return, and he and Kendall are watching Netflix on the former’s laptop.</p>
<p>“Hello Zayn. Thank you for all your help in cleaning up. I’m so grateful,” Louis says sarcastically, giving his best friend a death glare.</p>
<p>“Calm down Lou,” he answers, eyes never leaving the screen. “You had Harry to help, didn’t you?”</p>
<p>“Yes well you should have still helped.” He swats Zayn’s head lightly with his hand. “Well, I’m off to work. I'll see you people for dinner.”</p>
<p>“Want to come Harry?” Kendall asks. The three turn their attention to the man by Louis.</p>
<p>“I couldn’t. I don’t want to impose.”</p>
<p>“You wouldn’t be imposing. I’m inviting you. I know Bella would like to meet you,” she answers with a smile.</p>
<p>“I-Louis?”</p>
<p>Louis shrugs. “Sure mate. It’ll be fun, promise.”</p>
<p>“Okay then. I’ll come.”</p>
<p>“Great,” Kendall says. “Be here around six, alright?”</p>
<p>“Got it.”</p>
<p>“Well I’m off to work,” Louis says. He grabs his coat from the coat hanger and shrugs it on. “See you later.”</p>
<p>He’s about to walk out when Harry calls his name. He turns to face him, raising an eyebrow when he notices his nervous smile.</p>
<p>“I just wanted to say Happy New Year.”</p>
<p>Louis’ blue eyes widen in shock. He’s genuinely pleased. With all the chaos this morning he had forgotten that it was a new year.</p>
<p>“Same to you mate. Same to you.”</p>
<p>And with that he leaves for work, smiling to himself when he hears Kendall and Zayn’s annoyed voices asking “What are we, chopped liver?”</p>
<p> </p>
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